Historic Otter Creek DGC Closing JAN 1st 2009

So, here we are 30+ years after this course opened and now we must say goodbye. Since our awesome government folk can't manage their money any better we lose out on a historic course and beautiful park. The sad part is there is really nothing we can do. The city is $20 Million in the hole this year, and they think by closing this park and saving $180,000 this will help out. It's like one drop of water in a 50 gallon drum.
For 30 years we have held the FATPAD (Fling-A-Thing Pro Am Doubles). Through the years some big name Pro's have come to play in this. I personally got to see Juliana Korver in 2005. Also we have held the Fall Disc Golf Open here for 30 years. This also has had some big names show for this tournament. Most Recently Jay and Des Reading came an dominated

This course was the 5th course installed in the U.S. The baskets were made by Steady Ed himself. All but one of those baskets still remain. Unfortunately 2 years ago someone stole one of the baskets. Anyways these baskets are very nostalgic in the eyes of many. My question is what would people pay to get there hands on one of these? I'm not saying that they are going to be sold because the LDGC does not even know if we can get our hands on them. The City is acting as if they are the property of the City of Louisville and God only knows what they will do with them. I know that there are a lot of collectors in disc golf and was just wondering what someone would pay for one of these baskets. Keep in mind these are 30+ year old baskets, that have been spray painted multiple times and played on for 30 years. They also were designed for Super Class sized Frisbee's. Many times in my career I have seen discs fall out the bottom of the basket. That was until someone used string around the bottom of the basket to help catch discs.

Below are 3 pics of the Baskets................
The first 2 are Eddie Whalen, local golfer and owner of RTS (River Town Spirits), who has sponsored many of the tournaments at this park. He is placing his CTP on top the basket after Aceing hole #10
The 3rd is of Brad Alexander, also a local golfer how has helped with this course over the years.

Wow , those look like the old mach 2's we used to have at brahan springs here in Huntsville Ala which is the oldest existing course still in its original place. We had to use wire around the baskets to make sure they catch because yes , the disc's would fall through the basket.
We the club the Rocket City Chain Gang replaced those baskets years ago and moved the good ones to Redstone Arsenal to make that course grow from 9 holes to 18.
Today we have none of those baskets on any of the courses accept one , it is being used as a temp on hole ONE for our new course on Montesano Mtn.
You may be able to get a deal through innova or dga or the pdga to replace those baskets as a swap out to get a newer set.
If not , give them to all the locals who have helped out in the area and have fund raisers for new holes.
Our club just had several fund raiser's to buy a new course for the mtn.
Man those pics are a blast from the past , WOW.
Good luck

This was the second course I ever played. I moved from the area a few months after I started playing.I'm sad to see this one go, its a fun little course. I've wanted to go back to OC and iroquois (spelling?) for a while just to see how I do, now that I know how to play a little better.

I first played the Otter Creek course in the spring of 1979, trying to qualify for the $50K Invitational at Huntington Beach, and that was the first of innumeral (sp?) times I was beaten by David Greenwell, who became one of my best DG friends. The top three qualified, as well as receiving free entry into the tournament, a very generous offer at the time. I was fortunate enough to finish 2nd or 3rd (I can't remember, I was just so excited to qualify). I also had many road trips from Indiana to OC for tournaments, until the course was put in at Iroquois Park, which became the venue for the Frisbee disc Derby and other large tournaments.

The last time I played it was in the mid 1980s, I think. Can't imagine what it would be like now, with these discs we have, especially if the hole lengths are still the same.

If you can, try and replant the baskets. Here in Dallas, we had to relocate the Skyline Park course, which was the first permanent course in TX, c. 1982, because the Park board approved a new master plan for the park, which didn't include DG. We found a park about 3 miles away, and the course has been there for 12 years. Hopefully, you can find a place in Lou. to put the course, maybe around my old stomping grounds - I grew up in St. Matthews.

Just an Update................
The course is officially CLOSED! After a meeting Sunday that must have went bad, the baskets were pulled from the ground shortly afterward. They were put in a maintenance shed somewhere. We were going to hold one last tournament there this Saturday, but that is out of the question now.